Dk Crystal Favorite, a six-time winner and the 2025 American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, has been installed as the 6-5 morning-line favorite for the $24,838 AQHA Distaff Challenge on Sunday at Hipódromo de las Américas in Mexico City.

© Luis Prieto Zamudio

By Stallionesearch / Louanne Wainscott

MEXICO CITY, MEX–MARCH 12, 2026–The Sunday, March 15 racing program at Hipódromo de las Américas will showcase an exciting eleven-race card highlighted by several notable stakes events that promise strong competition for fans and bettors alike. Headlining the afternoon will be the $54,456 Mexico Derby, accompanied by the $24,838 AQHA Distaff Challenge, the $17,420 Clásico Francisco Pasquel Stakes, the $7,586 Mexico Derby Special Weight, and the $24,585 Maiden Stakes. The Clásico Francisco Pasquel was originally scheduled for last week but was rescheduled, adding even more depth to this weekend’s program.

The afternoon’s action begins with the $24,838 AQHA Distaff Challenge, scheduled to go to post at approximately 14:30. The race will be contested at 400 yards and features a compact but talented field of four fillies and mares set to sprint down the straightaway to open the stakes action.

Dk Crystal Favorite has been installed as the 6-5 morning-line favorite and enters the race with an accomplished résumé. The four-year-old mare has captured six victories, including wins in the Derby Las Américas and the Adequan Mexico Derby Challenge, while also finishing third in the Clásico Chirina Glorys. Her career earnings stand at $68,285, and she was crowned the American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly in 2025.

The mare is sired by Favorite Cartel and is out of Corona Crystal by Corona Cartel. Bred in California by La Presita & LJM Ranch, Inc., she competes for Cuadra La Presita and is trained by Luis Enrique Cruz Solis. She will break from the rail in post position one with Nestor Duran returning to the saddle.

Challenging the favorite will be Dashing Bureaucracy at 5-1 from post two, Shesa Luna Tach listed at 9-5 from post three, and Fire Flys Higher at 5-2 from post four. Though the field is small, the quartet of fillies and mares is expected to deliver a fast and competitive opening dash that should provide an exciting start to the afternoon program.

For a preview of the remaining stakes races on Sunday’s card, including the Clásico Francisco Pasquel and the Mexico Derby, see the related feature.

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